Ashton Kutcher (originally aired May 3, 2003)
Iraq (last updated May 4, 2003) (back to top)
With the end of Saddam Hussein's regime, the United States is now seeking to rebuild Iraq and establish a new government. President George W. Bush declared the end of major combat operations in Iraq in a May 1, 2003 address from the USS Abraham Lincoln at sea in the Pacific Ocean, just a month and a half after the United States initiated military action against Iraq.
According to some press reports, current plans for Iraq's government and transition call for the country to be divided into three military sectors under the command of the United States, the United Kingdom and Poland. The United Nations currently has no political role in rebuilding Iraq and may be limited to humanitarian efforts, though members of the U.N. Security Council have called for a greater role.
The United States began military action against Iraq on March 19, 2003, shortly after abandoning a yearlong campaign to build international support within the United Nations to force Iraq to comply fully with disarmament obligations imposed after the 1991 Gulf War and re-iterated in November 2002. The United States based its action against Iraq largely on three principles that are based in international law and politics, though arguably stretched further than in the past.
- Anticipatory self-defense based on the threat Iraq poses due to its possession of weapons of mass destruction and its potential to use such weapons, either directly or via a terrorist organization. Countries have the right to defend themselves against an attack, and arguably have the right to launch a pre-emptive attack when an attack is imminent. However, the State Department itself said as late as early 2002 that Iraq had not taken any action against the United States since 1993, when it was linked to an assassination attempt against former President George H.W. Bush while visiting Kuwait; Iran is generally considered the most active state in terms of sponsoring terrorism.
- U.N. Security Council resolutions promised "serious consequences" if Iraq did not fully comply with its disarmament obligations, which Iraq has not done. U.N. Security Council Resolution 1441, passed in November 2002, did demand greater compliance with weapons inspectors and it did imply some kind of threat, but it deliberately did not include the language typically used in the past to authorize military force. The Bush administration sought such authorization in early 2003 but abandoned such efforts in mid-March rather than have it rejected by customary allies France, Germany or Russia.
- Humanitarian reasons, namely, the removal of a dictator who has oppressed the Iraqi people. However, the United States has not removed other dictators from power and had more international support when it directed attacks against the Serbs for humanitarian reasons in 1998.
Many countries such as France, Germany, Russia and China criticized the United States for initiating military action. Turkey's Parliament initially rejected a measure that would have allowed the United States military to use the country as a staging area to invade Iraq, and many countries that Bush declared part of a "coalition of the willing" disagreed with their inclusion therein.
Background
Led by Saddam Hussein since 1979, Iraq fought two wars in the 1980s and 1990s over territorial boundaries. From 1980 to 1988, Iraq and neighboring Iran were at war over territorial boundaries. In August 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait but was ousted by a US-led coalition acting under UN resolutions in early 1991.
The United Nations required Iraq to disarm its weapons of mass destruction, and U.N. weapons inspectors began seeking access to Iraq in 1991. They faced difficulties throughout the 1990s, were forced out of the country in 1998, and did not return until late 2002. Inspectors have reported that Iraq had a biological weapons program (which Iraq says was destroyed in 1991), chemical weapons, and long-range ballistic missiles. The International Atomic Energy Agency's inspectors have reported that Iraq had a clandestine nuclear program as of late 1998, but that the program had not produced a nuclear weapon at that time. For more on Iraq's weapons, go here.
During the 1990s, the United States and the United Nations took various measures to limit Hussein's power and, ideally, to bring about an internal change in regime.
First, the international community imposed economic sanctions and took military actions such as Operation Desert Fox in December 1998 for Iraq's lack of cooperation with UN weapons inspectors. Even with the limited access provided by Iraq, inspectors issued reports concluding that Iraq has been developing chemical and biological weapons, and that it had made major steps towards building a nuclear weapon though it had not done so by December 1998. Aside from the inspections, the embargo and sanctions have been controversial, with many critics, especially in the Middle East, blaming such measures for ruining the Iraqi economy and creating a massive public health crisis; US officials put the blame instead on Iraq, noting that there is no embargo on food or medicines. For more on weapons inspections, go here. For more on sanctions, go here.
Problems over inspections loomed large in 1998, which ended with US and UK military strikes against Iraq. Over the course of 1998, Iraq and the UNSCOM had many conflicts, with Iraq denying full access to monitors. In August 1998, UNSCOM inspector Scott Ritter resigned in protest, saying that the US and UK were putting pressure on UNSCOM to abandon planned inspections so as to avoid new confrontations with Iraq. By October 1998, Iraq refused to provide full cooperation until the embargo was lifted. Finally, UN inspectors left the country in December, and then on December 16, 1998, the United States and Britain initiated four days of air strikes against Iraq (Operation Desert Fox). According to the US Department of Defense, the 100 sites attacked were military targets, with only one economic target, a pumping station used in illegal oil exports.
Second, a UN coalition led by the United States and Britain has maintained no-fly zones in southern and northern Iraq. These operations were initially justified as ways to protect Iraqi minorities such as the Kurds from attack by the regime, and have also been used to monitor the regime's activities. The UN also maintained a no-drive zone in southern Iraq to prevent a military build-up that could again invade Kuwait. For more on no-fly zones, go here.
Bush's Campaign to Build an International Coalition
President George W. Bush spent much of 2002 campaigning for military action against Iraq as part of the United States' extended "war on terror."
In his Jan. 29 State of the Union address, Bush described Iraq as one of several states constituting an "axis of evil" because of its search for weapons of mass destruction (see text here). He then took his case to the United Nations in a Sept. 12 speech demanding compliance with weapon inspections and other policy changes.
Within days, Iraq's Minister of Foreign Affairs announced that Iraq would allow the return of U.N. weapons inspectors "without conditions," according to a Sept. 16 letter addressed to and publicly released by U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan. Iraq's government "based its decision concerning the return of inspectors on its desire to complete the implementation of the relevant Security Council resolutions and to remove any doubts that Iraq still possesses weapons of mass destruction," Minister Naji Sabri wrote.
The Bush administration cast doubt on the validity of Iraq's decision, saying that Iraq was merely seeking further delay, and continued to push for Congressional authorization to use force, which it received with a resolution approved on October 10 and 11. Under that resolution, Bush was given authorization to use force as he deems "necessary and appropriate" to defend the United States and to enforce U.N. resolutions calling for Iraq's disarmament. The Bush administration also continued to push for a stronger U.N. resolution.
The U.N. Security Council resolution thus approved on Nov. 8 was the result of negotiations between the United States and several other countries such as France. During these negotiations, the United States dropped its insistence of calling for "all necessary means" to enforce the terms, and agreed to the two-stage process in which the Security Council would meet to decide what to do if Iraq does not comply with the resolution.
For a timeline, go here.
Sources: A U.N. press release of the Feb. 14 briefing is on-line here. The U.N. Security Council resolution approved on Nov. 8, 2002 is on-line here. The CIA's World Factbook entry on Iraq is on-line here. The State Department's December 2001 country background note on Iraq is available via the State Department's website, located here. President Bush's Sept. 12, 2002 speech to the United Nations is available on-line here. Michael R. Gordon and David E. Sanger, Powell says US is weighing ways to topple Hussein, New York Times, February 13, 2002. Thom Shanker and David E. Sanger, U.S. envisions blueprint on Iraq including big invasion next year, New York Times, April 28, 2002. Steven R. Weisman, How Powell lined up votes, starting with his President's, New York Times, Nov. 8, 2002. The International Atomic Energy Agency has made press information on its inspections available on-line here. Julia Preston, U.N. Inspectors criticize Iraqis over arms list, New York Times, January 10, 2003. Eric Schmitt, U.S. force in Gulf is said to be rising to 150,000 troops, New York Times, January 12, 2003.
Bush's January 2003 Economic Plan (last updated January 12, 2003) (back to top)
President George W. Bush's economic stimulus plan, announced in early January 2003, is largely based on tax changes that would allegedly boost investment and consumer spending. Critics, however, have called the plan fiscally irresponsible and say that it would unfairly benefit wealthier taxpayers.
The two main components of the plan are (a) an acceleration of the changes that his 2001 tax-cuts would have implemented gradually from 2001 to 2008, and (b) a change that would exclude dividends from individual taxable income. Additionally, the plan would encourage small business to grow through other tax incentives, and would extend unemployment benefits.
The Bush administration claims that by implementing the 2001 plan's tax-rate cuts now, 92 million taxpayers would receive an average tax cut of $1,083 in 2003. But critics say that this does not take into account differences among tax filers, and say that the tax cut will favor the wealthiest. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the average tax cut for the bottom 80 percent of tax filers would be $239, while the top one percent of tax filers would receive an average tax cut of $24,400 and those with incomes greater than $1 million would get an average tax cut of $88,900.
The Bush administration also says that excluding dividends from individual taxable income would end the double taxation of the dividends corporations pay to shareholders, and thus allow shareholders to keep more income. However, critics say that this move will cost the federal government too much without adding much stimulus, especially since the benefits would go largely to wealthier investors who receive more of their income from investments. Critics also say that there is little double taxation on corporations, since many corporations actively pursue ways of ensuring they pay the lowest taxes possible.
For more on the federal budget, go here. For more on the economy, go here.
Sources: A White House press release from January 7, 2003 on the economic stimulus plan is on-line here. The Treasury Department, on-line here, also has press releases on the plan. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, on-line here, has published some critiques of the plan, as has Brookings Institution economist William G. Gale, who wrote some first impressions dated January 8, 2003.
SARS (last updated May 4, 2003) (back to top)
A previously unknown respiratory illness known as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) was first recognized in late 2002 and about 6,200 cases had been reported as of early May 2003; cases have been reported primarily in China but some have also been reported in almost 30 countries in Asia, North America and Europe. There have been 435 deaths worldwide attributed to SARS, with the vast majority in China, 22 in Canada, and none in the United States, according to reports by the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization.
There were 56 probable cases and 233 suspect cases of SARS reported in the United States as of early May 2003, according to a CDC report dated May 2, 2003. Of the 56 probable cases, 37 were hospitalized and two required mechanical ventilation. Nearly all of the patients had traveled to China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Hanoi or Toronto; one was a health-care worker who had treated a SARS patient, and one was a household contact of a SARS patient. About half of the probable cases and a fifth of the suspect cases were reported in California; New York reported nearly a tenth of the probable and the suspect cases.
SARS appears to spread through close person-to-person contact, and the CDC reported in an April 30, 2003 fact sheet that "most cases of SARS have involved people who cared for or lived with someone with SARS, or had direct contact with infectious material … from a person who has SARS."
In order to contain the spread of SARS, the CDC has advised travel advisories recommending that people consider postponing nonessential trips to China, Hong Kong, Taiwan or Singapore until further notice. The CDC has also issued travel alerts for Hanoi, Vietnam and for Toronto, Canada; travel alerts indicate health concerns about a given area but do not necessarily recommend postponing a trip.
Initial SARS symptoms include a fever along with a headache, discomfort, body aches, or mild respiratory symptoms. Within a week, SARS patients may develop a dry cough that could prevent enough oxygen from getting to a person's blood; about 10-20 percent of patients may require mechanical ventilation. Scientists as of early May 2003 reported that a previously unrecognized coronavirus was the leading candidate for the cause of SARS.
Sources: The Centers for Disease Control has information about SARS on-line here, including a May 2, 2003 surveillance report on-line here. The World Health Organization has information about SARS on-line here, including a definition as of May 1 here and a summary of worldwide cases here.
|
|
|
Home / Calendar
The West Wing
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
The Colbert Report
Saturday Night Live
Commander in Chief
Law & Order
*
Issues
Resources
Site FAQ
Search via Google
Ripped from the Headlines?
West Wing: Santos discusses a lawsuit about intelligent design
West Wing: Electoral map as of the 10/9 episode; Santos needs to catch up big-time
SNL: The Miers nomination
South Park: Inspired by Katrina
Boston Legal: End to assault-weapons ban
Daily Show: A 2004 study found that 21 percent of young people regularly get their campaign news from comedy shows like the Daily Show with Jon Stewart and Saturday Night Live. So, some footnotes.
NOTE: All photos are copyright their respective owners.
| |
